Author Archives: Lisa Blanc - Page 46

Kingouroboros Ransomware

Kingouroboros Ransomware

Kingouroboros Ransomware might be a new version of a dangerous file-encrypting threat called CryptoWire Ransomware. Our researchers tell they noticed a lot of similarities in the malicious applications’ codes and their working manner. Of course, we will explain how the new infection works further in the text, so if you came here to learn all about this malware, you should read our full article. As usual, we do not advise contacting it’s developers or sending them money, even if their offered decryption tools could be the only way to get your data back. Keep it in mind, the hackers who created Kingouroboros Ransomware might have the needed decryption tools, but it does not mean they will be willing to provide them once you pay the ransom. In other words, for users who do not want to risk losing their money in vain, we advise deleting the malicious application. To remove it manually you could follow the instructions located below, and if you prefer automatic features, you could employ a legitimate antimalware tool instead. Read more »

CyberSCCP Cryptor Ransomware

CyberSCCP Cryptor Ransomware

CyberSCCP Cryptor Ransomware is an infection that was built to push you into communicating with cyber criminals and paying a ransom for a decryptor that would, allegedly, save your personal files. The infection is most likely to spread using spam emails with a misleading message that is meant to trick you into opening a corrupted file attachment or link. Note that both messages and the email addresses via which they are sent can be extremely misguiding, and you need to be careful. For example, if it appears that you have been sent a legitimate message from a postal service, you need to think if you are expecting a package. If you are not careful enough, you could execute the infection without even realizing it. Once executed, it can perform in a malicious way, and it was found that it can indeed encrypt your personal files. In this situation, you might be focusing on the decryption of your files, but we suggest redirecting your focus to the removal of CyberSCCP Cryptor Ransomware. You can learn all about that by reading this report prepared by Anti-Spyware-101.com researchers. Read more »

I Need Directions Now

I Need Directions Now

I Need Directions Now is an extension for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome users, and an application for Internet Explorer users. Although it offers services that might attract some users, our research team at Anti-Spyware-101.com classifies it as a potentially unwanted program; generally known as “PUP.” It does not look malicious, and its installer is free, which is why it is not surprising that many users choose to download it. Unfortunately, problems start showing up as soon as the installation is initiated. First of all, the tool might ask to change homepage and search provider settings. If you have the option to decline an unfamiliar search tool, you certainly should use it. Of course, you do not have the option to decline changes to your New Tab, as this is where the extension represents itself. Whether or not changes to your browser are welcome, you should delete I Need Directions Now, and we discuss this in depth in this report. If you are curious about why you should remove this extension/application or how to do it, you should continue reading. Read more »

Donut Ransomware

Donut Ransomware

If you do not want to put your personal files at risk, Donut Ransomware is an infection you need to keep away from your operating system. Any careless click could let this malware in, which is why you need to be most cautious. For example, you should forget about interacting with spam emails. If you are not smart about it, you could let in all kinds of malware, including other well-known file-encrypting threats, such as Danger Ransomware, Scarab-Leen Ransomware, Autismlocker Ransomware, or BansomQare Manna Ransomware. If you are interested, all of these – and many others – infections have been reviewed by our Anti-Spyware-101.com research team. Once the infection slithers in silently, it immediately scans your operating system and encrypts files. Although the threat evades all system files, as well as some specific files (“autorun.inf,” “boot.ini,” “bootsect.bak,” “desktop.ini,” “iconcache.db,” “ntuser.dat,” “ntuser.dat.log,” and “thumbs.db”) regardless of their location, it does not ignore what we call “personal files.” You can save them only if you delete Donut Ransomware in time, and, unfortunately, it is most likely that you have found this removal guide because your personal files got encrypted already. Read more »

Danger Ransomware

Danger Ransomware does not meet us with anything new. If anything, our research team suggests that this program is just a version of a previously released infection. So it will exhibit the same behavioral patterns as its predecessors. On the other hand, although it should be easier to deal with an infection when you know what it is up to, we cannot say that about ransomware programs. That is because each ransomware application is unique, and so while we can apply similar methods to remove Danger Ransomware, they will not work for the file decryption. That is perhaps the most frustrating part about ransomware infections. Read more »

StalinLocker Wiper

StalinLocker Wiper

StalinLocker Wiper is a nasty malicious application categorized as ransomware. Even though it belongs to this category of malware, it differs from those ransomware infections that encrypt users’ files to obtain money from them a lot because it does not lock a single file on the affected machine. Instead, once executed, it places a window with a picture of Stalin over Desktop and, by doing so, locks it completely. As a consequence, users cannot perform any activities using their PCs and/or access their programs and files. It is only one of two activities StalinLocker Wiper performs on affected computers. If you do not unlock your screen or do not disable the ransomware infection within 10 minutes, this threat will delete almost all files from your computer, including those considered system files. As a consequence, your computer could not even load up anymore. This explains why StalinLocker Wiper is often referred to as a data wiper. Read more »

Scarab-Leen Ransomware

Scarab-Leen Ransomware

Scarab-Leen Ransomware is a harmful infection that might enter your computer illegally. Unlike Trojans and some other malicious applications, it does not try to stay unnoticed after it infiltrates computers. Instead, it starts working immediately and locks files found on the affected system. In other words, it is typical crypto-malware that locks files with the purpose of extracting money from users. Do not send money to cyber criminals even if those files you need to access badly have been encrypted too because you will not only encourage malicious software developers to release more infections, but you might not even get the decryption tool from them. Actually, it is quite common for crooks not to give victims the promised decryptor. There is a possibility that they do not even have it. It does not mean that you can keep the ransomware infection active on your system if you decide not to make a payment. If you do not disable it soon, you will see its ransom note opened automatically each time you restart your computer. Additionally, there is a huge possibility that you will find all new files you create encrypted too. Scarab-Leen Ransomware creates a registry key, a Value in the system registry, and drops several files, so its removal will not be very quick and easy. Do not worry about this – we are here to help you. Read more »

Ember Relax Background

Ember Relax Background

Ember Relax Background is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that may collect user’s information for unknown purposes. The suspicion arises from the fact the software has no End User Licence Agreement or Privacy Policy papers. Moreover, our researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com noticed the application might be spread through unreliable channels. Therefore, considering the extension does not look trustworthy, we would advise you not to take any chances with it and eliminate it before something goes wrong. Users who wish to get rid of it at once could slide below the article and follow the provided deletions steps showing how to remove Ember Relax Background from Google Chrome. On the other hand, users who still have not decided what to do with this PUP could read the rest of this report and get to know it better. Read more »

System Activation Key Has Expired

System Activation Key Has Expired might look genuine to inexperienced users, but our researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com confirm it is just another fake system alert. Therefore, users who see it are encouraged to remove it at once. Sadly, if you do as the notification says you might end up being scammed, not to mention, the hackers behind this technical scam could steal various private information from you. To learn more about the System Activation Key Has Expired alert, such as details about is distribution, working manner, dangers of encountering it, and so on, you should read the full article. Moreover, at the end of the text, we will add instructions explaining how to close the fake notification is it goes into full-screen mode and how to reset the browser to stop it from re-appearing again. Still, if the process looks a bit too complicated, you could install a legitimate antimalware tool instead and let it deal with this threat for you. Read more »

Exocrypt Ransomware

Exocrypt Ransomware

Although ransomware programs are extremely dangerous computer security threats, sometimes we are lucky to encounter apps that are still under development. Exocrypt Ransomware is one of such programs, and it does not present us with an extremely hard challenge when it comes to decrypting the encrypted files. What’s more, there clearly is no need to pay the ransom because it is possible to decrypt this ransomware, and you might solve this problem even if you do not have your files backed up on an external hard drive. Thus, simple remove Exocrypt Ransomware from your computer and make sure you do not get infected with such programs in the future. Read more »